Battle of the Oils

I’ve recently received two sample sizes of expensive oils, one as a part of a 500 point perk from Sephora, and the other as a part of a holiday gift. Both of these oils have cult followings and claim to have great moisturizing qualities, and with my dry skin as of late, there’s no better time to put these to the test and see which one wins.

We’re going to start with the Tarte Maracuja Oil, whose full size retails for 55 Canadian dollars. Pictured above is a small sample, just .5oz, compared to the full size that’s 1.7oz. There are only two ingredients: Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil and Tocopherol. To me, this oil has no scent and I find it to be so lovely. I use just 2 or 3 drops mixed in with my moisturizer at night and have loved the results. My skin is so much more plump and free from dry flakes. I do find that it takes a little while to absorb fully, but I don’t mind so much because I apply it with a few hours before bed. I also find it is really nice in my hair after a shower. My hair felt so nice and manageable after using this oil. I’m not crazy over the packaging, because the pepette thing is at the top, so it can be tough to grab onto at times.

Secondly is the Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil, whose full size retails for 60 Canadian dollars. Above, again, is just a .5oz sample size, and the full size product is also 1.7oz. Here there’s only one ingredient, which is Argan oil. I tried this oil out before the Maracuja oil, and I’m very sad to say that his broke me out when used on my face. I tried just applying it, and then a moisturizer, I tried mixing it, no matter what, I had some sizable blemishes in areas I’m not prone to acne. I do, however really like this for my hair, so it will definitely get used up in that respect. It has a light olive oil type scent, and it does absorb quickly. The packaging is very user friendly.

To sum it all up? The Maracuja oil is cheaper, didn’t break me out, and works for both skin and hair. And while it does have one additive, it’s a huge winner in my books, and I’m really starting to feel as though I need the full size once my sample runs out.

Talk soon,

Xx Brianna

Current Skincare Products

Of course as I sit down to write this post, my skin is having a temper tantrum. I was about to rave about how clear my skin has been lately, but of course Mother Nature has to come in and rain on my parade. The current little breakouts I’m experiencing are compliments of PMS, and thankfully are nothing like what I used to experience. Because my skin has been so kind to me, I figured I’d let you all in on what I’ve been using for AM, PM and weekly skin cleansing and pampering.

MORNING

I like to keep my morning routine as simple as possible. I simply wash my face (usually in the shower) and moisturize. I know my Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Cleanser looks empty, it’s about half full, and I have been using this stuff faithfully. I really love what this does for my skin. It’s so deeply cleansing, yet not harsh at all. Once I started using this, I really started to see a dramatic clearing in my skin. I follow up with the Yes to Cucumbers Daily Calming Moisturizer. To be honest, I haven’t had this a for a long time. I do really love the scent, as to be expected is smells like cucumbers, and it’s rich enough for my skin that has been really dry lately. It doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin at all.

NIGHT

Alright here’s where things get a little high maintenance. I accidentally picked up the waterproof version of a mascara I really like, so I’ve been using Jojoba Oil just on my lashes to initially break up the mascara. I used to use coconut oil, however I found that it gave me horrible cystic acne. I haven’t noticed that jojoba oil clogs the skin around my eyes at all, and it conditions my lashes really nicely – not to mention gently removing stubborn waterproof mascara. I then wash off the make up on the rest of my face with the Soap Works Creamy Clay soap. I’ve loved this soap for quite some time, it really cleanses the skin and removes every trace of make up. I then follow up with my Juice Beauty Cleanser, and the same Yes to Cucumbers moisturizer. I would like to find a nice deeply moisturizing night cream as my skin has started to shift from very oily to dry.

WEEKLY

Lastly, I do like to treat my skin every now and then. I was using my Foreo Luna twice daily, however I found that it was starting to be a bit much for my skin, so now I use it once to twice a week to exfoliate my skin. I really like how my skin feels after I use this gadget. Also, I’ve had my Luna since the end of July and have yet to need to charge it. I also like to use a clay mask once a week. I currently am using this one from Live Clean, which is a lovely affordable option, I also like this one from REN for when I’m feeling spendy.

Talk soon,

Xx Brianna

Honeymania

I’m not exactly sure when the West Coast of Canada decided to become an arctic tundra, but it has been so freezing in Vancouver lately. The first thing to always show signs are dryness are my skin and my lips. I quickly wanted to share with you what I’ve been using to keep my skin nourished.

The Body Shop Honeymania Body Butter – $20.00 CAD

When I first smelled this body butter, I knew I had to have it. I also have the hand cream in this scent, and there’s something so soothing, floral in a non-offensive way, and downright delicious about the scent.

Like all Body Shop body butters, this is a very thick body lotion that moisturizes your skin like you wouldn’t believe. I apply this stuff extremely generously after the shower, and my skin always feels so smooth and soft. I find this stuff to absorb really quickly, and the scent lingers for quite some time afterwards. I remember applying this stuff in the morning, and later in the day one my of male friends complimented the scent, which is pretty huge because he doesn’t notice anything… ever.

I shot these photos quite some time ago, October 18th I think, and I’m getting really close to finishing this tub already! One fantastic thing about Body Shop body butters is that they’re almost always on sale. I picked mine up when the whole store was 50% off, so this is definitely something that you should never pay full price for. For 10 bucks, I’d definitely say it’s worth it. For 20 bucks, not so much, for sure hold out and grab one or two when they’re on sale.

Talk soon,

Xx Brianna